Smocking attachment for sewing-machines.



No. 542,05. Patented Jan. 23, I900. A. STEWARD. SMUGKING ATTACHMENT FOB SEWING MACHINES.

(Application filed Mar. 17, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheats-Sheat I,

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N0. 642,C|5. Patented Jan. 23, 1909.

A. STEWARD.

SHOCKING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

(Application filed Mar. 17, 1899.)

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(No Model.)

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UNlTlED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AURELIUS STEVVARD, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE WHEELER do TVILSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SMOBKING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,015, dated January 23, 1900. Application filed March 17,1899. serial No. 709,502. (hi0 model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AURELIUS STnwARn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Smocking Attachments for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce by mechanical means a folded and stitched fabric as usually made by hand, commonly called smocking, which is used for ornamental purposes in the manufacture of garments and which retains the fabric in such a series of folds or purls as to cause it to present ornamental designs capable of different modifications and appearances as the material is difiercntly held or restrained in its application to the garment.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figures 1 to 10,

inclusive, show all of the parts of my apparatus in perspective. Fig. 1 shows the retaining-clamp E, together with its permanently-attached pivot-pins and handle 0, but disconnected from its associate parts the better to show its construction. Fig. 2 is the hinge-bar D disconnected. Fig. 3 is the frame A, fully dismembered, except of its perinanently-attached hinge-blocks B and B and handle 0, to better show its construction. Fig. 4 is the springclamp disconnected. Fig. 5 is the fabric holder or carriage complete consisting of the before-mentioned parts as assembled for use. Figs. 6, 7, and 8, respectively, are the gage, presser-foot, and throatplate of the sewing-machine as modified to suit the purposes of my invention. Fig. 9 is the apparatus complete with fabric attached and as in use. Fig. 10 is the carriage complete, but removed from the machine, as for disengaging and reengaging the work. Fig. 11 is a section of the stitched fabric or smocking, and Fig. 12 the same when differently constrained to show changed appearance in the figures under such condition.

The frame A (see Fig. 3) is of sheet metal as thin as consistent with moderate stiffness, its front edge provided with a series of equidistant para-llel-sided interstices or slot-s a a, 620., extending inwardly from and at right angles with the edge, and also provided at each end with hinge-blocks B and B, the

latter being extended upward and suitably shaped to serve also as a handle, as shown at C. The back edge of frame A is turned up ward to impart greater stiffness and curved to form a recess into which the spring-clamp F may fall to retain the fabric, as hereinafter described.

The retaining-clamp E (see Fig. 1) is of same material as frame A with front edge also provided with slots (shown at c e, the.) exactly the same distances apart as in frame A, and in addition has intermediate therewith a series of holes intended only to remove the stock to prevent interference with the presserfoot of the machine when in use. It also has its rear edge turned. upward to impart greater stiffness and has attached theretoa springhandle c,whi1e the front or slotted edge is overturned to an angle of, say, forty-five degrees (for purposes to be hereinafter explained) and is provided at each end with securely-attached pivot-pins e and c, all shown in Fig. 1.

The hinge-bar D (see Fig. 2) is provided with two holes (shown at (Z and d) near each end of same.

The spring-clamp F (shown in Fig. 4) has its ends turned inwardly to enter holes therefor in hinge-blocks B and B, by which means it is pivotally connected with the frame A.

iVhen parts are connected as for use, the pivot-pins b and b of hinge-blocks B and B (not shown in B) enter pivot-holes d and d, and pivot-pins e and e of the retaining-clamp E enter pivot-holes d and d in the hinge-bar D, thus hinging the retaining-clamp E to the hinge-bar D and the latter to frame A, all as shown in Fig. 5 and'as required in operation. When so placed, the slots 6 e of the retaining-clamp E are located exactly intermediate (longitudinally) with the slots a a of the frame A for purposes hereinafter described. As this combination of parts is for the purpose of holding and carrying the fabric, for convenience I will term the same the carriage.

The presser-foot G, Fig. '7, is not sufficiently unlike those of ordinary sewing-machines to require special description.

The throat-plate I, Fig. 8, is constructed without the usual apertures for the feed-dog, (the latter not being employed with this device,) and there is provided at each side ofthat is, before and after the needle a slightly-raised projection, as shown at 1 and t', which I term stops, which are of such size as to fit loosely into the slots at a, &c., of the frame A.

My attachment is preferably used in connection with what is known to the trade as a zigzag sewing-machine, but as the stitches must appear only in clusters the feed-dog is removed that the fabric may not be advanced while being stitched. By the well-known lateral vibratory action of the needle insuch machines it will be seen that the stitches will be passed through two holes only, and by the controlling mechanism of the machine the vibratory action is so regulate-d as to overcast only a sufficient number of threads of the fabric to give the finished product the necessary stability. Preparatory to stitching the first row the end of the fabric to be operated upon is passed between the spring-clamp F and the frame A and turned back over the latter beneath the hinge-barD and the retaining-clamp E, when light pressure upon the spring-handle O of the latter causes it to engage the overturned edge of the frame A, and an upward pressure upon the yielding spring-clamp F causes it to compress the interposed fabric into the concaved upturned portion of the frame A, thereby clamping the fabric to preventdisplacementwhilebeingstitched. With fabric thus attached the carriage is placed upon the bed-plate of the sewing-machine, with its slotted edge beneath the presser-foot G and against the gage H, as shown in Fig. 9, with two of the slots at a, &c., of the frame A embracing the stops it upon the throat-plate I, the stops being so situated that when entering these slots the intermediate slot will properly present itself for the passage of the needle. After making the requisite number of stitches the machine is stopped, the presser-foot raised, and by means of the handle 0 the carriage slightly lifted and advanced one step, when, being impeded and stopped by the entrance of the stops 2' and 71 into the next slots, another cluster of stitches is formed and this repeated across the fabric. Although the fabric is usually interposed, yet owing to its yielding qualities it does not prevent the entrance of the stops snfficiently to at once indicate to the operator when the carriage has advanced to correct position. To disengage and reengage the fabric for successive lines of stitches, the spring-clamp F is pressed downward and the stitched material together with the retaining-clamp E and the hinge-bar D are all thrown forward into position shown in Fig. 10, when the tongues of the frame A are readily withdrawn from the recesses or pockets by which the stitching has caused them to be incased. In this position it will be seen that by the action of the hinge-bar D the retaining-clamp E has been thrown forward clear of the frame A and that its tongues present a fiat surface upon the fabric and the underlying table, and

when by means of its handle cthe retainingclamp is carried forward, and, if necessary, moved slightly en dwise, its slots will embrace the stitches and its tongues readilyenter into bar D to perform this important function, as-

any mechanical construction will suflice by which the retaining-clamp E may be transferred from the forward position, where it engages one line, to the backward position, where it retains the same in proper relation to the succeeding line of stitches. hen the stitching is completed, the finished product presents on one sidea succession of folds like overlying tucks, while on the other and right side an aggregation of diamond-shaped cells appears, as seen in Fig. 11. If, however, the material be stretched crosswise of the lines of stitches, the cells or recesses are drawn into shapes shown in Fig. 12 and if again released assume still another form, and diffcrent treatment producing other effects not necessary to explain; but in all cases the pleasing character of the effects is dependent upon the uniform straightness of the lines of stitches in all directions, their equal and alternate placement in the succeeding rows, and the uniform depths of the cells, all of which are insured by the clamping devices and methods herein described.

WVhile this attachment may be used with zigzag sewing-machines of usual construction, it is used to best advantage with such as stop automatically after a predetermined number of stitches, and though preferably used with zigzag machines of some character they are not a necessary requisite, as it is evident the carriage could be vibrated beneath the needle of an ordinary sewing-machine without changing the character of my invention.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The frame A, provided with apertures a a, to receive a row of clusters of stitches, means for forming said stitches, in combination with means whereby each successive row of said stitches will be placed the proper distance from, and the clusters properly intermediate, those of the succeeding row, substantially as described.

Signed at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, this 9th day of March, A. D. 1899.

AURELIUS STE WARD.

Witnesses:

L. M. TURNEY, O. N. WORTHEN. 

